Mahalo Ukulele: U-320B Deluxe Baritone

If you are just getting started playing the ukulele, or want to try your hand playing the baritone ukulele, then the Mahalo U-320B Deluxe Baritone Ukulele may be just what the doctor ordered.

This sweet little number is the largest bodied instrument in the ukulele family, which makes it an excellent choice for those players who have larger hands and who may have trouble managing the small frets on the soprano and tenor sized bodies. But not only is the U-320B easy to handle, it also sounds pretty good for a laminate ukulele.

Made from laminated mahogany, you might not expect the U-320B to have a good sound, but its tone is surprisingly mellow and full-bodied (though not as rich as you would get from a solid wood instrument or even from just a solid-top instrument). It has a nice touch though, and though it doesn’t stay in tune all that long (a fact that can be very annoying) it sounds good while it does.

Seeing as that the U-320B only costs ~$75, it is understandable that beginning players may want to opt for this model. While a solid top instrument would be a better choice for sound and overall tone as well as sustainability, if you are a beginner and can’t play for long at a stretch anyway, the U-320B sounds good enough to get the job done. And, don’t forget a Baritone Ukulele gig bag, priced at ~$14, to keep the dust off of your instrument.

Of course you are going to want to trade up eventually to, for example, the Cordoba 20BM Baritone, a beautiful solid-top ukulele. But if you just want to get your hands on a baritone instrument and get used to the feel of playing, then the Mahalo U-320B Deluxe Baritone Ukulele may be all that you need to get started.